Liverpool boss Klopp: I don’t see the benefit of Brexit

Liverpool Football Club's manager, Jürgen Klopp, said he sees few advantages for Britain in leaving the EU, which is “the best idea we had so far” in Europe.

The British vote to leave the bloc was also a poor example of democracy — the German told the Telegraph — as it was “old people in the countryside” who decided the future of the “young” city-dwellers.

“If such a fantastic country and a strong partner like Great Britain want to try to go the way alone I don’t see the benefit. I can’t see it,” Klopp said. "I am maybe not the best-informed person [but Brexit] was like countryside against cities, was a little bit young against old and that is not how democracy should work.”

“If you have to make a decision for the whole country then find a solution for the whole country and not for old people in the countryside,” he said.

Klopp’s comments come as Britain enters its last year of EU membership.

While immigration played a large part in the run-up to the Brexit referendum two years ago, Klopp sees little threat to his current job at Liverpool — where his contract expires in 2022.

“I am in a very privileged situation, although if in the worst-case scenario Britain starts ejecting the EU nationals,” he said. “It would be funny if they started with the football managers.”

The German manager did nonetheless concede that the EU has its problems. But he stressed that countries should come together to solve problems.

“If it’s sometimes not good then let’s improve it,” he said. “There were hard times in the last two years in the EU with Greece, countries in southern Europe really struggling financially, then refugees because of the crisis in Syria.”

“But that’s a problem for all people,” he added. “Let’s sort it together.”

Irene Duym

François P

Gosh! A football coach dares to have an opinion about something else than football! That is dangerous! That shouldn’t be allowed!
😉

Posted on 3/31/18 | 3:55 PM CET

NeonLight ->

Making opinion is no problem. Anybody has right to do it.

Problem is that this is here on politico web site. I really don’t understand what this can present? But I see similar articles in both directions. So this is not “only” article with this kind of non-relevant personal view of somebody on this site.

Maybe somebody think that more is better?

Posted on 3/31/18 | 4:33 PM CET

Finn (of Suomi)

@Tony Brown

Indeed,

Why should we care about any opinion(s), that are not being able to show understanding of the EU, its legal and treaty based institutions and its functions.

Only idiots would try to solve such complex, intertwined and co-dependent questions by referendums — asking a moronic ‘yes’ or ‘no’ question of its electorate, who have absolutely no effing clue about these matters.

I guess once we pass that station, asking a footie coach isn’t that far fetched.

Whaddayathunk?

Posted on 3/31/18 | 5:53 PM CET

peter lintner

Quickly, stop the Brexit, because yet another German says it´s bad for Britain. Is this a joke? They published it one day sooner as it should be.

Posted on 3/31/18 | 6:07 PM CET

Robert Allan

So what?

Posted on 3/31/18 | 10:34 PM CET

-> tpk

Guardian has an article on the already bad effects on manufacturing. What a waste given the high probability that we are heading to a BRINO. Avoiding any clear information about the Brexit to come should be more harmful than the actual Brexit, whatever Brexit it will be.

Posted on 4/1/18 | 9:58 AM CET

Klaus Wekx

@-> tpk

Well said ! 🙂

PS: Are the shops open in Moscow today?

Posted on 4/1/18 | 10:09 AM CET

Tony Brown

Finn said

‘Only idiots would try to solve such complex, intertwined and co-dependent questions by referendums — asking a moronic ‘yes’ or ‘no’ question of its electorate, who have absolutely no effing clue about these matters.”

With respect, the amount of information voters were given was unprecedented. It started a year before the referendum in the various votes in parliament to enable the various referendum bills to proceed.

These were very widely reported in the wider world and the pros and cons debated ad nauseam.

Information reached a fever pitch in the official campaigning period approximately three months prior to the vote.

Every medium was saturated with information giving the viewpoints from both sides and the merits of these endlessly debated.

The Govt sent out detailed documents to every voter. Every chamber of commerce, work place, unions, University, clubs and coffee shop debated the merits and otherwise.

I don’t know why you think we are all to stupid to take this information, plus what we have learnt from our 43 year association and be able to synthesis it.

That is the key thing of course, we were not dealing with a theoretical situation that might come about in the future, but one that we have lived with for decades.

I think we are perfectly capable of deciding on matters like this.

Posted on 4/1/18 | 5:05 PM CET

Donal O'Brien

Att @ tpk

I’m glad your refering to the Guardian for insperation for another one of your useless opinionated dumb comments

There Pink Champagne journalists have been spouting rhetoric for years supperted
by the BBC

Have you ever met one of them
Believe me its an unforgettable experience
All theory no practicable answers

How they peddle there Editorial Crap is beyond me

But then again you yourself have even less to contribution on this OLD MUD BALL

Finn( suomi of)

Wake up Dude
That coach is a KRAUT what do expect
Then again having read some of your
NOTHING’S
I’m sure you speak that diabolical Guttural
Language anyway

To think that MEN @ WOMEN gave there lives for thrash like tpk and you
Its tragic

You DUDES just dont get it never will

Cheers for Brexit

Allways
Donal O’Brien

Posted on 4/2/18 | 1:53 PM CET

Donal O'Brien

ATT COMMENT

JUST MADE MY DAY

COMING APRIL 12th INTERVIEW

ON POLITICO

WITH THE VAMPIRE SQUID HIMSELF

Really here’s a Guy you gotta listen too
This was DRAGHI’S BOSS
This was CARNEY’S BOSS central bank of England
This was the late PETER its only a billion SUTHERLAND’S BOSS

This is the BOSS of one of the World’s truly great Bluffers BOROSSO

I’LL never forget the night he informed all he was and is doing GOD’S work
Real Prince of a Guy

Got to here this lets see if he’s got the message or is still as PIG thick as ever
This Guy thinks of nothing else but percentages i mean nothing else

You could tell this Guy we are living on a QUARANTINED PLANET and he just would not believe you
Do you?

Cheers for Brexit
Allways
Donal O’Brien

Posted on 4/2/18 | 2:41 PM CET

Anthony Harrison

Goodness me! A German football manager thinks the EU is a great idea and Brexit is a bad idea. I’d love to know his valuable insights about – say – Stockhausen, Caesar’s Gallic Wars, and astrophysics.

Posted on 4/2/18 | 10:40 PM CET

John Brown

A German thinking it would be better if the UK remained in the EU.

Who’d have thought it ?

Except the quote doesn’t say who Mr. Klopp thinks is not benefiting by Brexit. The EU (Germany) or the UK?

Many people in the UK (young people also voted for Brexit) do not believe the UK had a good deal (£15bn/year loss of control of the UK taxpayer’s money, £80bn/year trade deficit with the EU and uncontrollable immigration putting strains on housing, schooling, health and social care, infrastructure, prisons etc).

Plus the realisation that whatever damage the EU can inflict upon the UK outside of the EU it is nothing compared to the damage it can inflict upon the UK inside the EU through having to follow its laws decided by an unelected/unremovable EC or through QMV.

Posted on 4/3/18 | 10:35 AM CET

blue bell

@Donal O’Brien
Donal were you aware that Ryan Heath of Politico Ryan Heath was a speech writer in EU Commission for people such as Mr José Manuel Barroso and he was also spokesman for Neelie Kroes (Vice President Digital Agenda)?

Posted on 4/3/18 | 4:34 PM CET

blue bell

@Donal O’Brien
Sorry Donal I put in one too many Ryan Heaths hope it still made sense.

I shall go away now and repeat “More haste less speed” 100 times.

Posted on 4/3/18 | 4:39 PM CET

Stan

Herr Klopp is entitled to his opinion and to express it as an EU citizen living and working in the UK that may yet be affected by brexit. He’s a top manager and a top man and we are lucky to have him in our league.

Posted on 4/3/18 | 7:52 PM CET

blue bell

@Anthony Harrison
I thought you comment red hot, less gaseous than mine until we got to the dark matter of astrophysics where I was forced to admit to being a bit dense. I shall go and crawl back into my black hole.

Posted on 4/3/18 | 9:12 PM CET

Donal O'Brien

Att Stan

Did Laurel tell you to say that

Now Stan listen BREXIT is to serious for you and your Partner to be rehearing a GaG

Slap Stick is ok in its Rightful place but not where Tax Payers Money is concerned

SO STOP STAN

Love yer shows

Right on

Cheers for Brexit
Allways
Donal O’Brien

Posted on 4/4/18 | 10:18 AM CET

Stan

@Donal O’Brien
“Did Laurel tell you to say that”

You b0lloxed that right up, it’s Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy. So no, the surname of the character you are associating me with didn’t tell me to say it.

That’s another nice mess you’ve gotten yourself into. 😉

Posted on 4/4/18 | 3:55 PM CET

Donal O'Brien

Att Stan

Well said
A mess indeedy

Regards
Cheers for Brexit
Allways
Donal O’Brien

Posted on 4/4/18 | 4:17 PM CET

Priscilla du Bleu

@Klaus Wekx
“@-> tpk

Well said !

PS: Are the shops open in Moscow today?”

Why do you ask? Did GUM stop delivering your online orders due to unpaid bills????